Are you having a hard time cleaning your CPU pins? If you’re like most people, you don’t have the right tools and are trying to use the wrong ones. If you don’t know how to clean cpu pins then, it’s best to apply the smart tactics with the right tools.
When you are cleaning your CPU, you’re actually removing the thermal paste from between the pins and the CPU. This is a very tough process to handle. Some people are not able to clean AMD cpu pins and damage the PC’s parts.
In this content, I’m going to share with you how to easily clean the cpu’s pins. So, without further discussion let’s get started.
Why should you clean CPU pins?
Sometimes we need to remove the CPU from the socket for various reasons like:
(i) Installing a new CPU,
(ii) Cleaning the old one, or even
(iii) Upgrading the motherboard.
Actually, these are the primary reasons. But what is the main purpose? There are some major purposes of cleaning the processor pins. They are as follows:
- To remove the thermal paste from the heat sink and processor.
- Cleaning off any dirt or dust that has accumulated on the CPU or heatsink over time.
- Replacing a damaged or bent pin on the CPU.
- Inspecting the CPU for any physical damage.
- Upgrading or replacing the thermal paste on the CPU.
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If all the mentioned above issues are matching with your problem then you should definitely clean your CPU pins.
How to clean cpu pins from thermal paste
Cleaning cpu pins from a thermal paste is a problem because it can cause damage to the CPU.
When you remove the thermal paste, you are removing a barrier between the CPU and the heat sink. Without this barrier, it is possible that your CPU could get too hot. Besides, you can burn yourself down or damage your motherboard. So, how to clean cpu pins from thermal paste safely:
Step 01: The first thing to do is remove your CPU from the motherboard. Using the instructions in your motherboard manual.
Step 02: Next, apply a moderate amount of thermal paste remover to a clean cloth. Then, rub it on the CPU pins until all of the thermal paste is completely removed.
Step 03: After all of the thermal paste has been removed, you can use distilled water to clean off thermal paste any residue that may be left over.
Step 04: It’s important not to let any moisture get near the pins on your CPU. Otherwise, this can cause damage to your PC.
Step 05: Place your CPU on a flat surface with the pins facing up. Make sure that there is no dust or debris in them before applying thermal paste remover.
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What happens if you get thermal paste on CPU pins?
It’s not a good idea to get thermal paste on CPU pins. The reason is that it can cause a short circuit. If you do get thermal paste on the pins, you should clean it off as soon as possible.
If you accidentally get thermal paste on your CPU pins, don’t panic! Simply clean it off with a soft, dry cloth. Can you use household items, like alcohol?
We know that rubbing alcohol will clean the thermal paste off of your skin, but is it safe to use on CPUs? The simple answer is yes, you can use rubbing alcohol to clean your CPU pins. But, if you don’t have any alcohol, what can you use?
If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can use a mild soap and water solution. Simply dampen a cloth with the solution and gently wipe away the thermal paste.
Once you’ve removed the thermal paste, be sure to dry the area completely before proceeding.
Is it okay if thermal paste gets on CPU pins? Clean thermal paste off cpu without alcohol
It must be said that “Alcohol” is the best thermal paste remover. It evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. Thermal paste is a conductive material that helps to transfer heat from the CPU to the heat sink.
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So, if you don’t want to use alcohol, you can try other methods like nail polish. Nail polish is the most common available item in every home. It can be used to remove the thermal paste from the CPU without any harm.
Most often, in the COVID-19 scenario, we utilized “hand sanitizer,” which is one of the most frequent items in that situation. Now, can you use hand sanitizer to clean thermal paste?
Though hand sanitizer included alcohol, it also has other ingredients like glycerin. So, it’s not recommended to use hand sanitizer to clean your CPU. It is a one kind of germ killer but not good for cleaning purposes.
The precaution that should follow before cleaning CPU pins.
“Safety First!” Every person should say this sentence before they do something that could harm them in any way. The same goes for when you’re about to clean your CPU pins. There are a few things you should do in order to make sure that the process is as safe as possible for both you and your computer.
#1 Wearing an anti-static wrist strap
It is a very important precautionary measure for computer safety. If we touch it without an anti-static wrist strap, the CPU pins could get damaged.
#2 Power off the computer
Unplugging the power cord from the PSU (power supply unit) is the best way to ensure that there is no electricity running through the computer.
#3 Ground yourself
Touching something metal like the bare metal chassis of the computer will help to ground yourself. It discharges any static electricity that you may have.
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#4 Opening the CPU
Most CPUs will have a ZIF (zero insertion force) socket which makes it easy to remove the CPU. If your CPU does not have a ZIF socket, you will need to be very careful when removing it so that you do not damage the pins.
#5 Use compressed air
You can use compressed air to blow the dust off of the CPU and the pins. You can also use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean the pins. Be sure to not touch the pins with your fingers.
Try to follow all the steps above strictly to avoid any harm that may come to you or your computer.
Final word.
We are not just talking about cleaning thermal paste off the pins of your CPU. The CPU itself is made up of a lot of tiny components and if you don’t clean it properly, it can affect your computer’s performance. So, you should clean your CPU pins after six months.
If you are not comfortable with doing this by yourself, you can always take it to a professional computer repair shop. But, if you do it by yourself, make sure you have the right tools and materials. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
